What Do YOU Believe?

Mackie Bounds

Back in 1989 my Dad preached a sermon called "Standing In the Gap." In those days, if I stood in the pulpit and told you that I didn't believe in divorce and remarriage, you could go around the globe telling people, "Mackie does not believe in divorce and remarriage," without any doubt in your mind. If I stood before you and said, "I do not believe in fellowshipping divorce and remarriage," you could go around this globe and tell, "Mackie Bounds does not believe in fellowshipping divorce and remarriage." Right? But today, 2011, when our brothers say, "1 don't believe in fellowshipping divorce and remarriage," we will have to ask the question, "What do you mean by "fellowshipping" divorce and remarriage?" That's a shame. Back when Dad preached, he didn't have to talk about what the definition was when you said, "I'm not fellowshipping divorce and remarriage."

But brothers and sisters, let me warn you, there are men who will say today that you are not having fellowship with divorce and remarriage-we're not in fellowship with adultery, unless we are participating in that sin of adultery with that individual (or if you don't talk to them about the sin that they are living in.) That's foreign to the Word of God!

Let's say I confess to you I'm living in adultery. Let's deal with me. That's what the scriptures say. In 1st Corinthians the 5th chapter, Paul told that church in Corinth, "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you." This didn't say folks, "you're puffed up because you didn't go and talk to him about his sin." He said, "you are puffed up because you have not taken this one away from among you." "For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

He doesn't stop there. Now, I want us to take the position that I mentioned earlier. I'm not committing the sin of fornication, and I'm talking to this brother about the sin he's living in. So, I'm not having any fellowship. Now, already, we can see that's not right. Because the congregation in Corinth, he didn't tell them, don't do it and you talk to him.

He told them, "Get him out from among you." Now, why? Why did he say that? "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" The whole lump-how can that happen? How can that happen if I'm having no fellowship with him? If I'm talking to him about his sin and I'm not committing the sin, how in the world can I not be leavened? I'm going to tell you what the Bible says.. .if we don't deal with that one, and take that one out from among us, the fellowship I'm having with him will end up leavening the whole lump-the whole lump.

I'm going to tell you this twice, so you can understand it. I'm going to take you to my children. If I have one child that's misbehaving. One child. I don't do anything about it. Maybe that misbehaving is cussin'. I do nothing about it. What am I going to think when I have three children cussin'? Four children cussin'? "Daddy, you didn't do anything with Joe, why are you trying to get me to stop?" Folks, if we don't deal with the sin of adultery, fornication, homosexuality in the Lord's church, it will leaven us. It will spread-we are only one generation away from our young people believing that adultery is such a sin that it doesn't really matter. You can worship with adulterers, you can commune with them, you can give the money to them, you can support their preachers, and we ignore this verse right here, "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?"

Now, if I leave this congregation and I go across town to another congregation that upholds adultery and I start worshipping there, there's nothing wrong with me in their eyes, but in your eyes, you dealt with me and delivered my soul unto Satan. But you tell others, there's nothing wrong-nothing wrong-with them going to church across town and worshipping and communing and supporting the man that you withdrew from. I ask you, Is that right? The Bible makes sense and when something doesn't make sense, you know something is wrong! It doesn't make any sense to tell them one time,

"We have to withdraw from this brother," but on the other side, "You can go worship with him over there..." Something is messed up! I'll tell you what is messed up...the definition of fellowship goes far, far beyond the point of committing the sin with the person, and not talking to them about it. Second John, verse 9 says, "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed." Why in the world, John, would you want me to not do that? Why? I'm not a false teacher. I'm not committing the sin that he's committing. 1 hold to the doctrine of Christ. "For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. " You go look up the word partaker; it's the same Greek word for fellowship. I'm not guilty of the sin this man is guilty of, but I'm a partaker of his evil deeds.

It all goes back to the fact brothers and sisters, God wants us to separate from that evil sin, that sin that will corrupt us and corrupt the Lord's church. He wants us separated. He wants this dealt with.

In 2 Thessalonians the 3rd chapter, there was a man who wouldn't work. That church was told to deal with that unruly man-to withdraw themselves from that man. Now that was just a man not working. He said withdraw, or have no company with him. Why? Because, see, it's fellowship when you have company. Coming together to eat a meal is fellowship. You know, the scriptures say in 1st Corinthians 5, not to even eat with that man. That is his point-don't eat with them. But some say it's alright to go commune with them. Folks, the scriptures says "have no company with him." But it's alright to go worship with them??!! Folks, I didn't teach my children that. And my mom and dad didn't teach me that. This is a modern day doctrine that man has come up with; that's all it is-a dangerous doctrine.

People want to say today, "Well, as long as the table is set right..." Paul wrote to the church at Corinth because they had problems with the table. I'll tell you what he told them "You get it corrected. Get it fixed." He said "Shame on you for having that issue." These people want to make that the big deal today.

I'll tell you what Jesus said over in Matthew the 15th chapter, verse 9. He's quoting from the Old Testament and told them, "You're teaching for doctrine the commandments of men." And what did he say about their worship? "You worship me in vain." In vain. It had nothing to do with "the table." People say, "Well, brother Mackie, that doesn't really refer to the church." But brothers and sisters, I believe the principle does apply. You know where people go to to say the table has to be set right? John 4:24. But this verse has absolutely nothing to do with the Lord's table. The Word says, "worship in truth and in spirit." But we want to say that truth means all the items of worship have got to be right-the table has to be set right, no music, no women preachers. But at this verse, the church was not even in existence then either. Brothers and sisters, I believe the principle does apply. And I believe the principle applies in Matthew 15:9. That's the way the scriptures are written, and that's why the Lord's church stands upon them. There is a letter of the law, and there is a spirit of the law. I have to take it. I don't want our young people to hear the doctrine that it's alright to divorce and remarry. -1652 Kirkland Hill Road, Axtell, TX 76624